I hate how this turned out

[SHOOTALL]

Well I decided to look at handguns from a pratical stand point not what looked good or what others said. I used several + guns shooting IDPA and carried some of them.
Well I decided to look for the best few to tote , they must stand on their own.
Must meet - 100 % reliable with SD ammo.
                  - accurate enough to be useful , not so much moa but able to hit a target.
                   -cost effective, not break the bank as it is always best to have two . One may need repair or                            cleaning etc.
                    - ease of carry and able to use different modes of carry .
                    - safe 
                    - easy to use , easy to get into action and fire quickly.
These are not all as one might add aval. on the used market or good reputation etc. But for everyday use a airweight J frame comes close to filling the bill of always have on you gun. Of course there are others like the Ruger LCR that also would fit. Then the best all around gun seems to be a Glock. A Glock mod 23 .Now I don't tend to be a Glock fan. I don't know how they will hold up to time not round count.
 Truth they meet the ideas listed above as well as any handgun better than most. I think one factor is they most always work and the second is cost. They are wider than some competition and there are other guns that might beat the Glock on one point but if you score all the points Glock comes out on top over all.
 I really wish it was a gun with Walnut and finely blued steel ..............  
       

[DDZ]

Have you shot an M&P Shield? They are cheaper than a glock, narrower, shorter, not as high, and lighter. They are every bit as safe as a Glock, easy to shoot, and accurate. they are more concealable than a Glock, and tests done with them resulted in no failures. S&W engineers designed the gun to be used by law enforcement personal, and to be durable. The only thing the 23 has over the Shield is magazine capacity. The Shield is single stack. The Shield is also made in the US.
Not saying the Shield is better than the Glock, but I think its just as good. Personally I like the concealability and hand fit of the Shield better. I never did like the feel of a glock, but to each his own. 
Some say they have a problem with thumbing the safety off on the Shield, but it is no problem for me. The reason S&W decided to put a thumb safety on the Shield is because they thought people would carry it in a pocket or un-holstered. Which it does tuck in just a waist band very easely.     

[Savage]

I like the M&P a lot! But--------------doubt they'll ever approach the track record of the Glock. I have arrived at the same conclusion as Shootall. The Glock 19/23 comes as close to the ideal carry piece as I've found. Carries fairly well in most carry systems, shoots as well as most larger guns, and as reliable as a mechanical thing can be. I too have been reluctant to change over to Glocks for social use. It's become increasingly difficult to ignore the practicality of the platform in this application.
Savage

[3030guy]

I know, as much as I love my revolvers, and do carry them, when push comes to shove I'll take a Glock 23. It's ugly as sin, but it's beauty lies in the comfort that it will do exactly what it's supposed to do time after time after time....

[ShootnStr8]

Springfield XDSs are awesome little pistols.  45 ACP, eats a wide variety of ammo and accurate as all get out.  Definitely worth consideration.  May even make a loyal J-frame carrier take a second look.

Blessings!

ShootnStr8

[Savage]

Lots of good choices in polymer pistols these days. For my use the Glock does it best.
Savage

[mcwoodduck]

Ok if I were to pick two guns to carry.  I picked these pairs for a few reasons.
One would be a K frame in 357 Mag, either a 65 or 13 with either a 3 or 4" barrel.  The fixed sights are slick and will not snag in clothes.
the second would be a J frame 640 in 357 mag.  I really wish S&W would make a K frame Centenial model, 6 rounds and a conceelred hammer with novak night sights.
While I would carry 38 Specials in the J frame the ability to uses spare ammo for either and carry it in speed strips so either can be loaded from the same spare ammo.   A revolver is 100% reliable and if the ammo fails simply pull the trigger again.
Two would be a Glock 19 and a 26.  Having the ability to use the mags for the 19 in the 26 and the ammo from the 26 in the 19.  Spare ammo would be carried in model 19 mags as they can be used in either.  And of courese you can carry the same models in 40.  So a 23 and a 27.
The third option is a Sig P220 and a Sig P245, for the same reasons as the glocks only in 45 ACP.  The P245 / 220 compact is about the size of a 380 sig P230 or walther PP. 

[williamlayton]

I agree with all the reasons we didn't try to court the same woman.
Blessings

[SHOOTALL]

 One other good quality of the Glock is the grip pannels don't come off . The 1911 has many good qualities for sure one being if the grip panels get broken or come off the gun still functions as the grips do not need be on to function or are they there to hold in place or protect any working part of the gun. The Glock has the same quality and maybe better . That alone can put some guns out of the running.
 Another quality is the low number of parts and the lack of fine tunning of replacement parts.
other than a revolver how many guns are trusted out of the box ?

[guzzijohn]

A quality Makarov with the proper bullet. My Bulgarian has never FTF, it is about as simple as it gets. Very easy to clean. Accurate. Double or single action mode available on first shot. Maybe a bit underpowered but holds nine with one in the chamber.
Relatively inexpensive.

GuzziJohn

[SHOOTALL]

A quality Makarov with the proper bullet. My Bulgarian has never FTF, it is about as simple as it gets. Very easy to clean. Accurate. Double or single action mode available on first shot. Maybe a bit underpowered but holds nine with one in the chamber.
Relatively inexpensive.

GuzziJohn

and if dropped it can fire , Glock's don't . just saying

[guzzijohn]

Quote from Shootall:
"and if dropped it can fire , Glock's don't . just saying

Good point!
GuzziJohn

[LONGTOM]

For relieabilty I would always take a revolver over a semi.
For simplisity I prefer a single action but to be a true self defense gun it needs to be double action so my first pick would be a Taurus model 617 stainless in 357.
I like the idea of a 7th shot if needed.
The next would most likely be a Ruger model security six, also in stainless 357.
This is my first Taurus and I am well pleased with it so far.
Seems well made, small enough to wear conceled yet potent enough to get the job done without being a handful with full power loads.
Don't forget that 7th shot if needed.
If done right the 7th shot would play no part but nice to know you have an extra round if needed.
Ruger has always had a great reputation for guns that work.
A little larger then the Taurus and only 6 shots but handles the full power loads a lot better then the smaller Taurus.
Both of mine have 2" barrels.
The Taurus fits my hands better then the larger griped Ruger.
 
Just my choices.
 
 
LONGTOM

[SHOOTALL]

I like a revolver also but the reality is if you tie up a revolver it is often harder to clear and get back in service. It holds less ammo. The revolver as it gets larger becomes harder to hide and carry. Then the reload . It is as easy as grabbing the cyl to tie a revolver up.
 no argurement just going thru. the thouhts that made me come to the conclusion I did. Your choice for you is OK just maybe not the best weapon in all situations .

[Ladobe]

I agree with all the reasons we didn't try to court the same woman.
Blessings

And that says it all - personal choice.   
 

[LONGTOM]

I like a revolver also but the reality is if you tie up a revolver it is often harder to clear and get back in service. It holds less ammo. The revolver as it gets larger becomes harder to hide and carry. Then the reload . It is as easy as grabbing the cyl to tie a revolver up.
 no argurement just going thru. the thouhts that made me come to the conclusion I did. Your choice for you is OK just maybe not the best weapon in all situations .

valid points.
Some might say a few of the same things about semis.
You can grab the slide and stop it also.
I say if they are that close on either they are in trouble or you/I was to slow to react!
The semi will stove pipe sometime in it's life and more often then a revolver fails to rotate IMO.
I have several semis in different calibers and would not fail to use one if that happened to be what I had at the time.
Just my preference for the revolvers.
Never been a fan of cocked and locked.
Just me.
 
actualy I really prefer a 12ga with 3" #4 buck!!!
 
 
LONGTOM

[mcwoodduck]

I like a revolver also but the reality is if you tie up a revolver it is often harder to clear and get back in service. It holds less ammo. The revolver as it gets larger becomes harder to hide and carry. Then the reload . It is as easy as grabbing the cyl to tie a revolver up.
 no argurement just going thru. the thouhts that made me come to the conclusion I did. Your choice for you is OK just maybe not the best weapon in all situations .

If you do not want them to grab the revolver keep it in your pocket and shoot through the coat or vest.  An Auto can not do that.

[SHOOTALL]

it  can one time  .
But one must ask themselves if the choice is a mod 19 S&W or a G 23 and you must go in harms way not knowing the number of attackers you might face which would you choose ? And in reality that is what some face in cities that have high crime rates.

[LONGTOM]

That's why I like the 617 or better yet, 2 of the, 14 shots without reloading and with speed loaders another 14 ready to go.
May not be as fast as a clip fed gun but can be pretty fast.
 
 
LONGTOM

[SHOOTALL]

Around here a 22 makes no sense at all for self protection. None.

[frgerald]

Don't ask me why, but I have always preferred chocolate over vanilla.      
Gerald

[JPShelton]

it  can one time  .
But one must ask themselves if the choice is a mod 19 S&W or a G 23 and you must go in harms way not knowing the number of attackers you might face which would you choose ? And in reality that is what some face in cities that have high crime rates.

I'll take the Model 19, please.   Actually, I DID take a 6" Model 66 on patrol every night during early days of my tenure in law enforcement, and I spent my LEO career in the ghetto areas of Los Angeles County, and never once worried about loosing a gunfight when I carried it.  I wasn't keen on the department's switch to the 92F and but at least it had positive magazine ejection, which the Glocks of the day did not.  I would have been happy to have kept my wheelgun as my duty weapon then and even now,  if I had to go in harm's way, not knowing the number of attackers I might face, as long as that Model 19 / 66 comes with a few Safariland speedloaders, and my Nelson breakfront holster, I'd still rather take it than a Glock to a gunfight.
 
And I'm absolutely certain I would win.
 
JP
 
 

[mcwoodduck]

it  can one time  .
But one must ask themselves if the choice is a mod 19 S&W or a G 23 and you must go in harms way not knowing the number of attackers you might face which would you choose ? And in reality that is what some face in cities that have high crime rates.

National stats are a gun fight will only go 6 rounds total.  So being armed with a M19 on the hip or a 5 shot J reame in the hand warmer pocket.  And while you can shoot a Glock once through the pocket, How good are you at clearing a stove pipe?  I think I would want a bullet proof fool proof personal protection fire arm. 

[Dee]

Well, in 77 I took a Model 28 to a fight, and in 78 I took a tricked out Commander in 45acp to a fight. Won both, two of the three needed immediate medical attention, but everyone lived. The revolver won hands down on power but, the reload seemed to take for ever.
Give me a choice before the fight? I'll take my Glock 23 or 27. Hands down, no comparison.

[mcwoodduck]

Well, in 77 I took a Model 28 to a fight, and in 78 I took a tricked out Commander in 45acp to a fight. Won both, two of the three needed immediate medical attention, but everyone lived. The revolver won hands down on power but, the reload seemed to take for ever.
Give me a choice before the fight? I'll take my Glock 23 or 27. Hands down, no comparison.

Is that because of caliber, because of reliability of the gun, or that you are comfortable shooting it and know you will hit what you are aiming at with it over the other two?

[Dee]

I hit what I shot at with both but the 45acp lacked the power I needed, however the other party lost his nerve so to speak, and that ended it.

[Lloyd Smale]

Im with dee. If they werent better why did every police dept in the country put away there revolvers. A good semi auto like a glock with good ammo is every bit as reliable if not more so then a revolver. Its easier to reload and holds more rounds between reloading. they can be had in calibers just as effective as what the police used when they used revolvers. dont get me wrong i love my revolers. Its just not the same sitting in the chair fondling a nice Smith and Wesson revolver as it is a black plastic glock but when shtf i know which id rather in my hand. I like gas and oil lights at camp too but sure dont long for the days before we had electric lights. Best advice i could ever give you is to listen to someone like Dee whos been there and done that. His opinion carrys more weight for me then all the wanabees on the internet combined.

Well, in 77 I took a Model 28 to a fight, and in 78 I took a tricked out Commander in 45acp to a fight. Won both, two of the three needed immediate medical attention, but everyone lived. The revolver won hands down on power but, the reload seemed to take for ever.
Give me a choice before the fight? I'll take my Glock 23 or 27. Hands down, no comparison.

[Brett]

A stove pipe or failure to feed is a lot easier/quicker to rectify than a locked up cylinder in my experience. 

[williamlayton]

Boys, what we are discussing are choices.
Why and how we come to these choices are individual.
Having a choice is a good thing---the rest is left to be determined. I like capacity over a roller.
Blessings

[mcwoodduck]

Boys, what we are discussing are choices.
Why and how we come to these choices are individual.
Having a choice is a good thing---the rest is left to be determined. I like capacity over a roller.
Blessings

So do I, but when you look at some of the mag limit laws then sometimes a revolver in 357 mag loaded with the 125 grain Remington Semi jacketed hollow points may make sense in a ccw gun.
Would you rather have 7 rounds of 357 mag or 8 45 acps or 10 9mm or 40?  All in a gun about the same size.
But as you said we all have choices and you need ot be confidant in what you have on you will protect you and stop an attacker.